Gelatin-based hemostats, both in solid sponge or powder form, are commercially available and are used in surgical procedures. Gelatin powder, when mixed with fluid, can form a paste or slurry that is useful as a flowable, extrudable and injectable hemostat for diffuse bleeding, particularly from uneven surfaces or hard to reach areas. The conventional slurry is prepared at the point of use by mechanical agitation and mixing of the powder and liquid to provide uniformity of the composition. The paste then is placed into a delivery means or applicator, e.g. a syringe, and applied to the wound.
The main disadvantage of this approach is the need to mix the powder with the liquid, knead it into a paste and back-fill it into the delivery device of choice, all at the time of need and at the point of use. The manipulations are time consuming and potentially can compromise the sterility of the delivered product. Thus, a need exists for a sterile, flowable, moldable hemostatic composition that is ready to use at the point of use or can be prepared with minimal manipulation and without risk of compromising the sterility of the product.
It would be desirable if a hemostatic device, e.g. a delivery means such as a syringe or other applicator, would be pre-filled with a hemostatic composition and instantly available to the surgeon at the point of use without need for further manipulation. The hemostatic composition pre-filled in the device or applicator should be sterile and flowable and should require minimum preparation time and minimal force when extruded or injected through the delivery means at the point of use. The compositions of the present invention provide such properties and pre-filled devices.